Local Services
Ivonne works in our Longview office and spends much of her time focusing on family caregivers. She connects caregivers to the services they need to continue caring for their family members, including education, respite care and other informal supports, like the family caregiver support groups.
“Caring for a family member can be very rewarding, but also very demanding at the same time,” Ivonne said. “During the pandemic, we held caregiver education online, but we have returned to in person education, and we are excited to return to in person support group in June. We can connect caregivers with the services that they may need and help them learn how to resolve issues or concerns. Every caregiving situation is unique, we help families with a wide range of tools and support – and we understand that those needs can change over time.”
In addition to her responsibilities with the family caregiving support group, Ivonne also helps lead the class, Powerful Tools for Caregivers, which helps caregivers learn more about how to take better care of themselves while caring for a loved one. The course is held twice a year in Cowlitz County.
“We are going to start offering Caregiver Coffee Support Group for graduates of our Powerful Tools courses,” Ivonne added. “Our monthly caregiver coffee group will be starting soon to give our caregivers a place to connect, share experiences and find new ways to make caregiving a bit easier and less isolating.”
“If I could tell caregivers one thing, it’s that you need to take some time to care for yourself,” Ivonne adds. “Caring for yourself helps you better care for your loved one.”